Small Moment

Red light. Flat shadows blending under the sodium lamps downtown. It's early, and dark. He's standing at the front, waiting to deboard, looking at me in the dim blue hue of the flourescents. He'd asked something practical, about transfers, and after a silence decides to speak: "How you doin' this mornin'?"
"Excellent! It's a beautiful morning so far."
"Iss right. You close to gettin' off?"
"Actually, I'll be out here till 7pm-"
"Whaaat?"
"But it's all good. The thing to do- is to stay in a good mood, for the entire time. That's the challenge."
"I know tha's right." He nods, his dark eyes crinkling into a smile.
"The whole day."
"Yeeeah."
"I'm gonna do it, my friend!" We start laughing. "I'm gonna do it!"
"You got dis!"
We laugh the laugh of shared souls. We talk about how it's not easy, that will power is involved, lots of it, but of course it is worth it, and yes, such things are possible. I keep smiling after he's long gone, spirits warmed up as he walks into the sheltering darkness.